The Arizona sentinel., 1887-05-21

the statisticians, whose conclusions are based upon the total average circula- ton of all the newspapers published in France. If we reckon newspapers and periodicals of all kinds, and on all sub iects published Tn France, whether daily, weekly, or otherwise, we shall find that Paris produces about 1,5OO. and the departments and colonies about 2,5OO. If we analyze these numbers we shall find forty daily political papers in Paris, and about double that num- Der of daily political papers published in the great towns, like Bordeaux, Marseilles, Lyons, Lille, Nantes, Havre. In order to reach the figure of POO daily papers published in France we should be obliged to include very small sheets whose calculation is less than 1,O00 copies clay. Indeed, we may say, with very little exaggera- ton, that the greatest and almost the only French newspaper worth speak inc about is Le Petit Journal; for, sup posing that we take its circulation, varying between 900. 900 and $50, 900. and supposing that each copy is read by three or four persons-which is low average-we may safely say that this paper is read by half the reading population of France. Next in circu- lation to the Petit Journal come the Petit PariSien and LG Ldnterne, with daily circulations exceeding 120, 1000 copies. The largest provincial circu- lations are those of tbe one-cent pa- pers, Le Petit Lyo'anais and Le Petit MarseiIlais, each about 10000 day. All these one-cent papers are splendid enterprises; for in- stance, the annual profit of Le Petit ParsSien is in round num- bers $1OO,0 ,0O0, and the annual profit of Le Petit Journal, $8OO,0O0 The papers at two and three cents can not come near these one-cent papers, either in comparative profits or in circulation. Le FTgaro is the only three-cent paper that can be quoted as fine enterprise. Even now, although it's circulation is 10000 or b, 900 less than it was three wears aoo, the annual profits of Le FTqaro amount to $4OO,0O0. The GU Blas, circulation OO00,. is also a pay ing concern. The most serious and well-informed of all tho French papers, Le Temps, barely gives a profit at all. Among the two-cent papers, Le Mattn, circulation 6O,OOO, is beginning to pay fairly. But with these exceptions, there is not much newspaper stock Tn Paris worth coveting. How the various minor newspapers manage to live is a mystery, but mystery only to those who are unfamiliar with the fascina- ton which newspaper ownership pos sesses for the vain and for the am- bilious. for financial spectators and po- litical intriguers. To sum up once more, we may say that there are two leading paparz5 fu France, Ee Petit Journal and Le FTgaro, the former appealing to the great populace, the latter appealing to the middle and upper classes. The publicity of Le Figaro is all powerful; it is a speaking trumpet whose sounds re-echo through Europe-a fact which enables the cynical triumvirate which now presides over its destinies to sell short puffs on the first page for $S a line, and to charge a publisher, for in- stance, S1,000 for leading article by Albert Wolff on new book which he may desire to push. The system may be reprehensible, but it helps to ac- count for the profits of the paper; and above all, from an advertising point of view, the money thus spenc is well in- vested, for the publicity of Le Figaro brings in sure return. In all mat ters where criticism comes into play the influence of Le Figaro is incal- culable. The dramatic author whose piece receives a favorable notice in the Figaro need not pay heed to the re- marks of the other Paris journals. ''If I can only count upon FigGro and GtS
 BlaS," says the novelist who brings out new volume, 'I don't care a continental for the rest. ."-M r. Sun.